Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Lasting Impressions Red.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Lasting Impressions Red.
The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Ashtabula, Ohio. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new intermediate-sized New Guinea Impatiens cultivars with numerous large rounded flowers and interesting flower and foliage colors.
The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor during the winter of 1996/1997 of a proprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designated as code number 95-306-9, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designated as code number 96-1089-60, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The cultivar Lasting Impressions Red was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in controlled environment in Ashtabula, Ohio.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Ashtabula, Ohio, since May, 1997, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the parent selections primarily in plant growth habit, flower shape and color.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Lasting Impressions Redxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Lasting Impressions Redxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:
1. Very large, rounded, dark red-colored flowers.
2. Freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage.
3. Mounded to semi-upright plant habit.
4. Freely branching growth habit.
5. Dark green-colored leaves.
6. Tolerant to full sun conditions and high and low temperatures.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivar Blazon, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,793. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Blazon, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens are shorter, more mounded and not as upright as plants of the cultivar Blazon.
2. Leaves of plants of the new Impatiens are solid dark green in color whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Blazon are green and yellow variegated.
3. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Blazon.
Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of the cultivar BFP-523 Deep Red, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,521. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar BFP-523 Deep Red, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens are shorter, more mounded and not as upright as plants of the cultivar BFP-523 Deep Red.
2. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of the cultivar BFP-523 Deep Red.
3. Flower color of the new Impatiens is slightly darker red than flower color of the cultivar BFP-523 Deep Red.